Robert H. Michel

Robert Henry "Bob" Michel (2 March 1923-17 February 2017) was House Minority Leader of the United States from 3 January 1981 to 3 January 1995, succeeding John Rhodes and preceding Dick Gephart. From 1957 to 1995, he represented Illinois' 18th district in the US House of Representatives (R).

Biography
Robert Henry Michel was born in Peoria, Illinois on 2 March 1923, and he received a bachelor of science degree from Bradley University. Michel served in the US Army in France, Belgium, and Germany during World War II. From 1949 to 1956, he was a congressional assistant, and he was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1957 as a member of the conservative Republican Party. He was known for his bipartisanship in striking bargains, and he served on the House Appropriations Committee from 1959 to 1980. From 1975 to 1981, he was Minority Whip, and he later served as House Minority Leader from 1981 to 1995 under the administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. In 1988, he became a controversial politician after admitting that he enjoyed participating in blackface shows, and fellow Republicans criticized him for his moderation. In 1995, Newt Gingrich became the House Majority Leader, succeeding Michel; Michel also left the House that same year. He died in 2017 at the age of 93 in Arlington, Virginia.